Tape dispenser

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a dispenser for adhesive tape comprising a housing for rotatably supporting a reel of adhesive tape, and a feed system to draw tape from the reel and feed it out of the housing, the feed system including a drive motor for a feed roller to which the tape can releasibly adhere. A manually operable control device can energise the motor, and a press member prevents curling of tape which is dispensed.

1 1 0 I mied States Patent 1 1 1111 3,747,816

Se-Kit July 24, 1973 s41 TAPE DISPENSER 2,695,058 11/1954 Krueger 226/96 x 2,776,833 1/1957 Lakso 226/136 [761 E'"? K" 97 Mam 3,293,967 12 1966 Sharpe 226/136 x s Kowloon. e K0112 2,964,225 12/1960 DeSmet et al. 226/136 N Phlllppl r. X

[ PP N03 199,960 Primary Examiner-Allen N. Knowles Attorney-Samuelson & Jacob [30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 4, 1971 Great Britain 13,016/71 [57] ABSTRACT The invention provides a dispenser for adhesive tape [52] U.S. Cl 225/11, 83/204, 226/136 comprising a housing for rotatably supporting a reel of [51] Int. Cl 365i! 17/26, B26f 3/02 adhesive tape, and a feed system to draw tape from the [58] Field of Search 226/88, 134, 96, reel and feed it out of the housing, the feed system in- 226/123, 135, 136, 152; 225/ l 1; 83/204 eluding a drive motor for a feed roller to which the tape can releasibly adhere. A manually operable control de- [56] References Cited vice can energise the motor, and a press member pre- ITED STATESiPATENTS vents curling of tape which is dispensed. 3,690,531 9/1912 faliiga'ifiilsi.LI;.'L'.1TiIIIIiI..226/136,

13 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures TAPE DISPENSER FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a dispenser for adhesive tape.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART In prior art dispensers for pressure sensitive adhesive tape, tape is drawn from the supply roll by rollers to which the tape adheres. The tape is detached from feed discs by stripper or peeler members which are toothed discs located in the spaces between the feed discs, the peripheries overlapping the peripheries of the feed discs, the peelers are rotated at a greater peripheral speed than the feed discs, thus pushing the tape away from the feed discs.

In these machines the peeler discs impart to the tape a continuous series of sharp creases which curl the tape as it emerges from the dispenser. The adhesive coating on the tape is on the outside of the curl. Left to itself the tape quickly forms a tube in which it adheres to itself and is unuseable or difficult to handle.

It has been proposed to apply a drag or tension upon the tape as it leaves the feed discs to straighten the tape, and to draw the tape away from the peripheries of the feed discs. This drag or tension is applied to the tape by a pressure pad which presses the tape into contact with the peripheries of the peeler discs which are moving faster than the tape. However, this is not always effective, particularlywhen long lengths of tape'are to be dispensed. In addition the tape can often become bent against the pad face during feeding of the tape to the pressure pad.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION tape from the reel and feed it out of the housing, the I feed system including a drive motor fora feed roller to which the tape can releasibly adhere, and a manually operable control device to energise the motor. The dispenser includes meansto impart a bowed cross-section to the tape to prevent curling of the tape.

The control device preferably includes means to maintain the motor in an energised condition until at least a predetermined length of tape has been dispensed, and may include mans to automatically deenergise the motor after the predetermined length of tape has been dispensed. In a preferred embodiment the control device includes a selector to select a desired one of at least two operating conditions, at least one of the conditions being such that the dispenser will dispense a predetermined length of the tape, and may have on otheroperating condition such that the feed system will only dispense tape when the motor is maintained manually-in an energised condition.

In another preferred embodiment, the dispenser includes a resiliently biased switching head to maintain a closed switch in its closed position, and at least one release cam to cause the switching head to effect opening of the switch. The feed system may then include at least two feed rollers, the or each cam being arranged for rotation with the rollers.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide a dispenser for pressure sensitive adhesive tape from which long lengths of tape can be dispensed without curling.

. throughtwo of which buttons 44 or 46 project. The

It is a further object of the invention to provide a dispenser which can automatically dispense pressure sensitive adhesive tape in predetermined lengths in response to a single manual actuation.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tape dispenser which can automatically effect dispensation of a further length of tape when a previously dispensed length of tape is severed therefrom.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, which is given with reference to the accompanying drawings.

' BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a tape dispenser;

FIG. 2 shows an end view of the dispenser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional elevation on the line 8-8 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a control mechanism for the dispenser, and

FIG. 5 shows a section on the line A-A of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 to 3, a tape dispenser 10 for dispensing a tape from a roll 12 includes a drum 14 on which the roll 12 is fixed. The drum 14 has ribs 16 to prevent rotation of the roll relative to the drum. The drum 14 has a central axle 18 which is seated in a pair of complementary sockets 20. The sockets 20 are each formed on one of side frames '22 and 24 of a housing 25.

The dispenser 10 has a roller with roller segments 26 which are each attached to adjacent segments and to a shaft 27 extending into the side frames 22 and 24. The roller segments 26 are spaced alternately between roller segments 28 of a second roller on shaft 29, both rollers being arranged for rotation in a common direction denoted by the arrows in FIG. 3 and being coupled to an appropriate gearing system (not shown) in the side frame 24. The roller segments 26 and 28 are milled about their peripheries. A spindle 30 having two guides 32thereon is rotatable journalled in a bracket 33 which is itself pivoted about the shaft 27. A cutting blade 34, with a serrated cutting edge 36, is arranged with its cuttingedge 36 adjacent to the spindle 30 and is'fixed by a screw to a support which is itself fixed to the side frames 22 and 24.

The path of a strip of the tape is shown in dot-dash lines inFIG. 3. The tape passes across parts of the roller segments 26 and 28 and is prevented from encircling the roller 28 by a guide 38 journalled on the shaft 29 and by bowing of the tape caused by guides 32 when they press the tape between segments 28. The spindle 30 is arranged for vertical movement as shown in FIG. 3 so that, by raising the tape, the spindle 30 is raised above the cutting edge 36 of the blade 34 and the tape is cut on the cutting edge. The spindle 30 is biassed to the lower position, as shown in FIG. 3.

The dispenser 10 has a housing 40 for one or more dry cell batteries and has an arcuate wall 42 to provide a clearance between the roll 12'and the walls of the dispenser 10.

Side frame 22 of the dispenser 10 includes a control device for rotating the rollers including segments 26 and 28, and thus causing dispensing of the tape. The side frame 22' has at its upper surface three holes,

button 44 is a slidable button and can be moved in a direction along the length of the dispenser. The third of the holes, 48 serves only as a window through which indicating letters on an extension of the sliding button 44 can be seen, the letters indicating the position of the button 44. The button 46 can be depressed only.

FIGS. 4 and show a control device by which the motor M can be energised, either for a short period, a longer period, or in dependence on the depression of the button 46. The control device comprises a back plate 50 on which a cam 52 with a projection 54 and a cam 56 with a projection 58 are arranged for rotation.The cam 52 is fixed to the end of shaft 27 and the cam 56 is keyed for axial movement on, but to prevent rotational movement relative to the shaft 27. The cam 56 has a lower ring 60 attached to it, the ring 60 and the cam 56 defining an annular groove between them. A forked member 64, which is bent at 66 and has a flange 68 about which it can be pivoted, has two prongs 70, each of which engages the annular groove at an opposite side of the cam 56 to the other. The member 64 is biassed by a spring 74 acting between the member 64 and a lug head 72 so that the ring 60 is held against the plate 50. A slide member 76 connected to the button 44 and having two arms 78 and 80 which are perpendicular to each other is fixed between the plate 50 and the member 64. The arm 78 has two projections 82 which move between four guides 86 of the plate 50. Further guides 86 of the plate guide the arm 80 of the slider 76. The button 44 has two extensions 84 therefrom, one of which bears indicating letters which can be seen through the window 48 in the dispenser 10. A leaf spring 85 having a lug engaging end is arranged to hold the slider 76 in one of three predetermined positions by engaging two lugs 87 either in the position shown, between the lugs, or to the left of the lugs as shown in FIG. 4. Movement of the slider 76 until it is in its extreme right hand position, i.e. when the right hand side of the arm 78 meets the edge of one of the guides 86, will bring the arm 78 beneath the bend 66 in the member 64. The member 64 will thus pivot about its end flange 68 and raise the cam 56 to a position in which it touches the cam 52. In the central position of the slider 76, i.e. the position when the engaging end of the leaf spring 86 is between the lugs 87, the ring 60 is again against the plate 50.

The control device includes a switching head 90 having a projection 92 and a switching arm 94. The switching head 90 has on it a lug 96 which is biassed by a spring 100 connected to a lug on the slider 76. Thus the spring 100 biasses the switching head 90 for movement in an anti-clockwise direction about a pivot pin 98, as shown in FIG. 4.

The pin 98 can move in a slot in a plunger 102 connected to the button 46. The plunger 102 can be moved downwardly as shown in FIG. 4, and the movement is guided by a pin 107 fixed to the plate 50 and by the seating of the button 46 in its associated hole in the dispenser 10. The plunger 102 is held spaced from the main body of the plate 50 by a U-shaped extension 104 of the plate, as seen in FIG. 5. The U-shaped extension 104 supports a lug 105 to which a spring 106 is connected. The spring 106 is connected to the lug 98 on the switching head and biasses the switching head to the position shown in FIG. 4. The switching arm 94 presses, in its inoperative position, against one side of a button 110 of a micro-switch 108. The button 110 thus holds the arm 94 in the inoperative position. In the extreme left hand position of the slider 76, the end of the arm of the slider also prevents the switching arm from moving to the right as shown in FIG. 4. It will be seen, however, that in this position depression of the button 46, and thus plunger 102, can depress button 110 of micro-swtich 108, and thus effect energising of the motor M. The switching arm 94 will remain to the left of button 110.

When the slide is moved to its central position, the arm 94 is drawn firmly against the button 110 by the spring 100. On depression of the button 46 the plunger presses button 110 into the microswitch. The switching arm 94 moves to the right until it strikes surface 1 12 on the plate 50. It is thus held in a position above the button 110 and prevents the button from returning to its original position. The projection 92 of the switching head is moved closer to the cams. It will be appreciated that in this position the cam 56 will be below the projection 92 as seen in FIG. 5, but that the projection 54 on cam 52 will be able to strike projection 92. As the motor drives the gears and thus rotates roller segments 28 and 26, the cams 52 and 56 are rotated. When the projection 54 strikes projection 92 switching arm 94 is moved off the button 110 and the motor ceases to operate. Further depression and release of button 46 will effect rotation of the cam 52 for a further turn before the motor is again switched off.

With the slider 76 in its extreme right-hand position, cam 56 is raised from plate 50 and projection 58 on the cam 56 can also strike the projection 92, as it will now be held in its raised position by the member 64. Thus, with the slider in this positionm each time the motor is actuated by depression of the button 46, the motor will be switched off by movement of the switching arm 94 from button 110 after one half of a rotation of the wheel 26.

Thus it will be seen that according to the position of the slider 76, the control device can control thelength of adhesive tape fed from the rollers. The lengths of tape dispensed by the dispenser will be equivalent to the circumference of the roller segments 26 when the slider is in its central position, and to half that length when the slider is in its extreme right-hand position. In the extreme left-hand position the length of tape dispensed will depend on the period of time for which the button 46 is held down.

A pin 120 (see FIG. 1) fixed in the switching head passes through a slot in the plate 50 and through a corresponding slot in the wall of frame 22 directly above the bracket 33. Thus, when the spindle 30 is raised, the bracket 33 is raised and the pin 120 moves the switching head 90 upwardly as shown in FIG. 4. When the slider 76 in in its extreme left-hand position the switching arm 94 is held to the left of button 110, but when the'slider 76 is in its central or extreme right-hand position release of the switching head will cause the switching arm 94 to rest on the top of button and press the button into the microswitch to energise the motor. In this manner,'every time a predetermined length of tape is automatically dispensed from the tape dispenser l0 and cut from the remaining tape by the cutting blade 34 the tape causes the spindle 30 to rise and, depending on the position of the slider 76, a further length of tape can be dispensed.

The preceding description of the invention is in no way intended to be limiting, and it will be apparent that many modifications of the inention are possible wtthin the scope of the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. a dispenser for adhesive tape comprising:

a. a housing for rotatably supporting a reel of adhesive tape;

b. feed means to draw tape from said reel and feed it out of the housing, said feed means including a pair of dispensing rollers each having a plurality of annular positions to which the tape can releasibly adhere and an electric motor to drive said roller, the annular portion of each dispensing roller overlapping the annular portions of the other;

e. manually operable control means to energise said motor; and

press means to press at least a portion of the tape into the space or spaces between the annular portions of the last dispensing roller to which the tape adheres to impart a bowed cross-section to the portion or portions of the tape on which the said press means presses.

. 2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said control means includes means to maintain said motor in an energized condition until at least a predetermined length of tape has been dispensed, and means to subsequently de-energise said motor automatically.

3. .The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said control means includes a selector to select a desired one of at least two operating conditions, at least one of said conditions being such that the dispenser will dispense a predetermined length of said tape.

4. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said control means includes a selector to select a desired one of at least two operating conditions, at least oneof said conditions being such that the dispenser will dispense a predetermined length of said tape and one other operating condition being such that said' feed means will only dispense tape when said motor is maintained manually in an energisedjcondition.

5. The dispenser of claim 4,wherein'said control means includes a resiliently'biased switching head to maintain the switch in its closed position after manual actuation thereof, and at least one release cam to cause the switching head to effect opening of the switch, the cam orcams being arranged for rotation with the dispensing rollers. v v

6. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein the feed means includes a gear train to drive the rollers in the same direction when said motor is energised, and wherein said rollers have milled peripheral surfaces.

7. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising cutting means by which the dispensed tape can be severed from the reel, said press means being movable towards and away from the last roller and being constructed automatically to effect dispensation of a further length of tape after severing of the tape that has already been dispensed. r

8. A dispenser for adhesive tape comprising:

a. support means for rotatably supporting a reel of adhesive tape;

b. feed means to draw. tape from said reel and feed it out from said support means, said feed meansineluding a pair of dispensing rollers each having a plurality of annular portions which overlap the annular portions of the other and to which the tape can releasibly adhere, and an electric motor to drive said rollers;

c. a control means to energise said motor, said control means including means to maintain said motor in an energised condition until a predetermined length of tape has been dispensed and then to deenergise said motor;

d. cutting means to sever dispensed tape from said reel; and

e. means to press the tape against the last dispensing roller to which the tape releasibly adheres.

9. The dispenser of claim 8 wherein said control means includes a switching head by which the motor can be energised and cam means which includes two release cams and a selector to adjust the position of one or both of the cams relative to said switching head, whereby one or both of said cams can be positioned to cause said switching head to de-energise said motor after one of two predetermined lengths has been dispensed.

10. The dispenser of claim 9, wherein said press means is operable on said switching head automatically to effect dispensation of a further length of tape after severing of tape that has already been dispensed.

l1. Thedispenser of claim 10, wherein said control means comprises a switch, the switching head being movable to close said switch andthus to energise said motor, and wherein said press means is located adjacent the blade such that movement of the tape towards said blade causes the press means to move the stop member thereby closing the switch. 1

12. A dispenser for adhesive tape, comprising:

a. a housing; i

b. a support for a reel of adhesive tape in said housc. feed means to draw tape from said reel and feed it from the housing, the feed means comprising a pair of dispensing rollers having mutually overlapping portions;

d. a motor to drive said feed means;

e. manually operable switch means to energise said motor;

f. stop means to engage atleast a part of said switch means and to maintain said motor in energised condition;

g. cam means which can release said stop means from said switch means and de-energise said motor after a predetermined length of tape has been dispensed; and

h. selector means to move said cam means to one of three operating modes wherein said cam means can prevent said stop means engaging said switch means; or cause said cam means to permit said feed means to dispense a length of tape before deenergising said motor; or cause said cam means to permit said feed means to dispense a different length of tape before de-energising said motor.

13. The dispenser of claim 12, further comprising:

j. press means to pressthe tape into spaces between said annular portions of the last dispensing roller to which the tape releasably adheres, whereby the tape is caused to adopt a bowed cross-section at least in the areas where it is pressed on by said press means.

s s a s it 

1. A DISPENSER FOR ADHESIVE TAPE COMPRISING: A. A HOUSING FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING A REEL OF ADHESIVE TAPE; B. FEED MEANS TO DRAW TAPE FROM SAID REEL AND FEED IT OUT OF THE HOUSING, SAID FEED MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF DISPENSING ROLLERS EACH HAVING A PLURALITY OF ANNULAR POSITIONS TO WHICH THE TAPE CAN RELEASIBLY ADHERE AND AN ELECTRIC MOTOR TO DRIVE SAID ROLLER, THE ANNULAR PORTION OF EACH DISPENSING ROLLER OVERLAPPING THE ANNULAR PORTIONS OF THE OTHER; C. MANUALLY OPERABLE CONTROL MEANS TO ENERGISE SAID MOTOR; AND D. PRESS MEANS TO PRESS AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE TAPE INTO THE SPACE OR SPACES BETWEEN THE ANNULAR PORTIONS OF THE LAST DISPENSING ROLLER TO WHICH THE TAPE ADHERES TO IMPART A BOWED CROSS-SECTION TO THE PORTION OR PORTIONS OF THE TAPE ON WHICH THE SAID PRESS MEANS PRESSES.
 2. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said control means includes means to maintain said motor in an energized condition until at least a predetermined length of tape has been dispensed, and means to subsequently de-energise said motor automatically.
 3. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said control means includes a selector to select a desired one of at least two operating conditions, at least one of said conditions being such that the dispenser will dispense a predetermined length of said tape.
 4. The dispenser of claim 1, wherein said control means includes a selector to select a desired one of at least two operating conditions, at least one of said conditions being such that the dispenser will dispense a predetermined length of said tape and one other operating condition being such that said feed means will only dispense tape when said motor is maintained manually in an energised condition.
 5. The dispenser of claim 4, wherein said control means includes a resiliently biased switching head to maintain the switch in its closed position after manual actuation thereof, and at least one release cam to cause the switching head to effect opening of the switch, the cam or cams being arranged for rotation with the dispensing rollers.
 6. The dispenser of claim 5, wherein the feed means includes a gear train to drive the rollers in the same direction when said motor is energised, and wherein said rollers have milled peripheral surfaces.
 7. The dispenser of claim 1, further comprising cutting means by which the dispensed tape can be severed from the reel, said press means being movable towards and away from the last roller and being constructed automatically to effect dispensation of a further length of tape after severing of the tape that has already been dispensed.
 8. A dispenser for adhesive tape comprising: a. support means for rotatably supporting a reel of adhesive tape; b. feed means to draw tape from said reel and feed it out from said support means, said feed means including a pair of dispensing rollers each having a plurality of annular portions which overlap the annular portions of the other and to which the tape can releasibly adhere, and an electric motor to drive said rollers; c. a control means to energise said motor, said control means including means to maintain said motor in an energised condition until a predetermined length of tape has been dispensed and then to de-energise said motor; d. cutting means to sever dispensed tape from said reel; and e. means to press the tape against the last dispensing roller to which the tape releasibly adheres.
 9. The dispenser of claim 8 wherein said control means includes a switching head by which the motor can be energised and cam means which includes two release cams and a selector to adjust the position of one or both of the cams relative to said switching head, whereby one or both of said cams can be positioned to cause said switching head to de-energise said motor after one of two predetermined lengths has been dispensed.
 10. The dispenser of claim 9, wherein said press means is operable on said switching head automatically to effect dispensation of a further length of tape after severing of tape that has already been dispensed.
 11. The dispenser of claim 10, wherein said control means comprises a switch, the switching head being movable to close said switch and thus to energise said motor, and wherein said press means is located adjacent the blade such that movement of the tape towards said blade causes the press means to move the stop member thereby closing the switch.
 12. A dispenser for adhesive tape, comprising: a. a housing; b. a support for a reel of adhesive tape in said housing; c. feed means to draw tape from said reel and feed it from the housing, the feed means comprising a pair of dispensing rollers having mutually overlapping portions; d. a motor to drive said feed means; e. manually operable switch means to energise said motor; f. stop means to engage at least a part of said switch means and to maintain said motor in energised condition; g. cam means which can release said stop means from said switch means and de-energise said motor after a predetermined length of tape has been dispensed; and h. selector means to move said cam means to one of three operating modes wherein said cam means can prevent said stop means engaging said switch means; or cause said cam means to permit said feed means to dispense a lenGth of tape before de-energising said motor; or cause said cam means to permit said feed means to dispense a different length of tape before de-energising said motor.
 13. The dispenser of claim 12, further comprising: j. press means to press the tape into spaces between said annular portions of the last dispensing roller to which the tape releasably adheres, whereby the tape is caused to adopt a bowed cross-section at least in the areas where it is pressed on by said press means. 